The thesis deals with the concept of criminal thinking which has attracted attention mainly of foreign forensic psychologists in the last few years, primarily for its proven relation with antisocial behavior and for the possibility of being influenced by changing the antisocial attitudes and because it also seems to be an effective recidivism predictor. The thesis aims to map the specifics of criminal thinking by using PICTS-cz in violent crime offenders and to deepen the understanding of the concept of criminal thinking in our conditions. The goal of the theoretical part is to introduce and broadly outline the area of the entire criminal thinking phenomenon which does not have a uniform definition. For a complex understanding of the issue, attention is paid to definition of the most important concepts related to the topic, its relations with sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of committed crimes and other psychological phenomena, and also the issue of violent crime is introduced. Research survey is implemented in 138 convicted violent crime offenders. The results present their specific characteristics of criminal thinking which are then compared mainly with foreign samples for a demonstration of their most significant differences. Attention is also paid to the specifics of criminal...

The thesis deals with the concept of criminal thinking which has attracted attention mainly of foreign forensic psychologists in the last few years, primarily for its proven relation with antisocial behavior and for the possibility of being influenced by changing the antisocial attitudes and because it also seems to be an effective recidivism predictor. The thesis aims to map the specifics of criminal thinking by using PICTS-cz in violent crime offenders and to deepen the understanding of the concept of criminal thinking in our conditions. The goal of the theoretical part is to introduce and broadly outline the area of the entire criminal thinking phenomenon which does not have a uniform definition. For a complex understanding of the issue, attention is paid to definition of the most important concepts related to the topic, its relations with sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of committed crimes and other psychological phenomena, and also the issue of violent crime is introduced. Research survey is implemented in 138 convicted violent crime offenders. The results present their specific characteristics of criminal thinking which are then compared mainly with foreign samples for a demonstration of their most significant differences. Attention is also paid to the specifics of criminal...

This study is an examination of the historiography of the ancient-medieval texts that record events related to the Northumbrian and the Pictish royal houses in the seventh century. The Picts, the Scots and the Celtic Britons fell into subjugation under the control of the expansionist Northumbrian kings and remained there for most of the seventh century. Northumbrian expansion was halted by Bridei, king of the picts, when he put down the advancing Northumbrian forces of king Ecgfrith at the Battle of Dunnichen, also known as Nechtansmere, in the year A.D. 685. The outcome of the battle not only stopped Northumbrian expansion to the north, but began its reversal. The battle also allowed the Picts to gain back the lands they had lost to their Northumbrian enemy. For the Northumbrians, the battle had political and ecclesiastical implications that may have contributed to the later decline of their kingdom.

Two important developments are addressed by this dissertation. First, the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles-Simplified Version (PICTS-SV) was examined in relation to the original PICTS. Second, the vulnerability of the PICTS-SV to intentional risk minimization (RM) was tested. Two separate studies recruited a total of 150 offenders from a court-mandated residential substance use treatment facility. As expected, Study I established the PICTS-SV's good concurrent validity with the PICTS, especially at the broad composite scale level. For Study II, criminal thinking failed to show the anticipated convergence with HCR-20 risk classifications or forensic correlates. Potential explanations, including a restricted range of risk levels in this sample, are discussed. As a particular strength, the findings highlight that the PICTS-SV, in contrast to many risk measures, displays robust resistance to RM distortion, although revisions to its Df-r validity scale are warranted. These results overall demonstrate strong evidence of the PICTS-SV's utility for assessing a dynamic criminogenic need to inform effective interventions and accurate risk determinations.

The 3-year rate of recidivism in the United States is around 43%, costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between criminal thinking styles and self-reported recidivism, which included crimes committed that were not reported to authorities. According to Ellis' Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy theory, behavior is a direct result of cognitive activity. The research question asked what relationship existed between criminal thinking styles and recidivism for post-release non-violent offenders on probation. Using the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles, this study used a non-experimental survey approach, correlating scores from this measure with self-reported number of crimes from a sample of males and females ranging in age from18-65 years old (n = 9). Although responses to the recidivism question were obtained, the sample size was insufficient to show a significant relationship between these variables (rs = .45). This effect size suggests that further research could be carried out to determine if, with a larger sample size, a significant relationship might be found. It is important for the criminal justice system and forensic mental health services to gain a better understanding of the relationship between criminal thinking styles and recidivism. This study has revealed that self-report of crimes committed can be collected, enabling greater knowledge of offenders' maladaptive behaviors so that those working in the field to help those offenders to reenter society can do so more efficiently, therefore, reducing recidivism.

Yes / In this study, period-specific dietary trends, along with socio-economic and religious influences on foods consumed by Pictish and medieval inhabitants from Portmahomack are investigated. Bone collagen from human adults (n = 137) and fauna (n = 71) were analysed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios to enable dietary reconstructions of the whole adult skeletal assemblage. Adult mean δ13C and δ15N values from all periods (6th to 17th century) were −19.5‰ ± 1.3‰ and 13.3‰ ± 1.7‰ respectively. A diachronic change in diet between early medieval Pictish lay and monastic communities (periods 1–3) and the later medieval parish layfolk (periods 4–5) was found that suggests changing socio-economic and religious influences, along with age and gender differences in diet that reflect possible divisions in labour and status. Faunal data also reflected a diachronic change in diet, most likely related to a change in animal husbandry practices over time. This is the first large-scale study on the Portmahomack assemblage and presents new isotope data to provide a more comprehensive insight into Pictish and medieval subsistence patterns, along with evidence of how religious and social foci may influence diet over time. Such comprehensive investigations can only be adopted by analysing the whole skeletal assemblage, providing robust faunal baselines and inter- and intra-site comparisons. Most importantly, this significant new evidence fundamentally changes our knowledge of diet and subsistence in medieval Scotland and the potential influences therein. / Supported by grants from the NERC Isotope Geosciences Facility Steering Committee (IP‐1302‐0512), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/I019103/1), and Historic Scotland (AMJ/4208/4).

Criminal thinking or attitudes constitute a concept that has received considerable research attention in foreign countries especially because of its proven relationship to antisocial behavior and potential for changing it through elimination of these attitudes (e.g. Blud et al., 2003; Henning & Frueh, 1996; Walters, 2005c). Nevertheless criminal thinking still remains almost undescribed in the Czech Republic. The present work is investigating criminal thinking on a sample of 202 offenders currently imprisoned for robbery or burglary. The primary method used was the Czech version of American self-report inventory titled "Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles". The Czech version was developed in the Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention (Blatníková, Faridová, & Zeman, manuscript in preparation). This thesis was implemented under auspices of the Institute. The data suggest specifically highlighted sentimental style of thinking in our research sample. Positive correlation between intensity of criminal thinking and serious criminal history was demonstrated as well as the decline of intensity with increasing age and educational attainment. The strengths and weaknesses of our research, experiences with method, its possible applications and numerous suggestions for follow-up...

This thesis looks at a period of Northumbrian history when the king was a part Irish, Iona trained scholar. Some have suggested that Aldfrith was assisted to the kingship by the northern victors of the battle of Nechtansmere. It examines processes in the late seventh century to try to identify changes that might have happened during the reign of this king. The study begins with a wide overview of previous research to establish a basis from which to look for processes and change and also examines the sources available to us, written and archaeological. It then looks at the kingdoms to the north and west and at Aldfrith and the period of his reign. The suggestion is made that Aldfrith acted, with the Church, to cult saints that were Northumbrian and Romanist, as opposed to other options that might have been available. It proposes that the Northumbrians rejected opportunities to develop links with the north and west that may have been open to them. The following chapters then examine processes underway in Northumbria in three general areas; in the use of power, in society, and in the economy. It concludes that although many processes continued as before, these sped up and in certain areas such as the production of coins, and the consequential development of trade, it was a period of innovation. There is no evidence of a focus to the north and west during Aldfrith's reign and this has implications for how Aldfrith got to the throne, suggesting that it was with the support of the Northumbrian elite and not through the military strength of the Dál Riata or the Picts. The evidence is that Northumbria increasingly looked south for its influences and is prepared to absorb and implement processes and approaches from southern England, Gaul and Rome.

Die hochempfindliche Methode der „Microwave Detected Photoconductivity“ (MDP) wird eingesetzt, um technologisch relevante Halbleiterparameter wie die Ladungsträgerlebensdauer, Photoleitfähigkeit und Defektkonzentrationen über viele Größenordnungen der optischen Anregung hinweg zu untersuchen. Durch die Entwicklung und die Anwendung eines neuartigen Modellierungssystems für die Ladungsträgerdynamik in Halbleitern können wichtige Defektparameter quantitativ aus MDP Messungen in Abhängigkeit der Anregungsintensität bestimmt werden. Ein Verfahren zur Charakterisierung von Haftstellen (Konzentration, Energielage, Einfangsquerschnitt) bei konstanter Temperatur wird vorgestellt. Das technologisch relevante Verfahren des quantitativen Eisennachweises in p-dotiertem Silizium wird für die MDP Methode angepasst und entsprechende Messergebnisse mit DLTS Resultaten verglichen. Ein detaillierter Vergleich der gängigsten kontaktlosen Messverfahren QSSPC und MW-PCD mit der MDP zeigt, dass entgegen gängiger Annahmen die unterschiedlichen Anregungsbedingungen zu drastischen Unterschieden in den gemessenen Werten der Ladungsträgerlebensdauer führen. Dies wird sowohl durch theoretische Berechnungen als auch durch praktische Messergebnisse belegt.

Die hochempfindliche Methode der „Microwave Detected Photoconductivity“ (MDP) wird eingesetzt, um technologisch relevante Halbleiterparameter wie die Ladungsträgerlebensdauer, Photoleitfähigkeit und Defektkonzentrationen über viele Größenordnungen der optischen Anregung hinweg zu untersuchen. Durch die Entwicklung und die Anwendung eines neuartigen Modellierungssystems für die Ladungsträgerdynamik in Halbleitern können wichtige Defektparameter quantitativ aus MDP Messungen in Abhängigkeit der Anregungsintensität bestimmt werden. Ein Verfahren zur Charakterisierung von Haftstellen (Konzentration, Energielage, Einfangsquerschnitt) bei konstanter Temperatur wird vorgestellt. Das technologisch relevante Verfahren des quantitativen Eisennachweises in p-dotiertem Silizium wird für die MDP Methode angepasst und entsprechende Messergebnisse mit DLTS Resultaten verglichen. Ein detaillierter Vergleich der gängigsten kontaktlosen Messverfahren QSSPC und MW-PCD mit der MDP zeigt, dass entgegen gängiger Annahmen die unterschiedlichen Anregungsbedingungen zu drastischen Unterschieden in den gemessenen Werten der Ladungsträgerlebensdauer führen. Dies wird sowohl durch theoretische Berechnungen als auch durch praktische Messergebnisse belegt.